What is the point of Mrs. Dubose in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Mrs. Dubose serves as model of two concepts: courage and
discipline.

Mrs. Dubose's problem of addiction elicits her
effort to free herself. As an old woman who is taking morphine for some type of pain, we
know that she has reason to be cranky as readers. The children however, think she is
just mean. If she is in continual conflict with her body but trying to die free from
addiction she has to practice both courage and discipline. It takes bravery to to allow
her own body to endure the pain when she knows there is a quick fix for the pain if she
chooses to use it. Additionally it takes discipline, the kind of discipline that is the
practice of doing something right over and over, to be able to achieve longer and longer
lengths between her doses of morphine.

The practice of that
actually disciplines Jem as well because he has to read to her for longer and longer
each time. Jem deserved discipline as in a punishment for his crime of destroying her
flowers.

Teaching courage and discipline were both
necessary because of what Atticus and the children were about to endure from the town.
It helped teach the children a lesson about patience and keeping their cool when other
people say terrible things that just demonstrate heated
emotions.